Istanbul Skyline from the Bosphorous

Turkcesi ne?

I realize it's been a few days since I've contributed to the blog, and I apologize for my absence. I have no excuse. I've been wasting a great deal of time for the first time in a few years. Class planning isn't as strenuous as cranking out papers or preparing for exams. And because much of my life in Turkey is still in flux (for instance, who the &%&$ is paying for my residence?), I've used it as a good excuse to remain stagnant. If I remain still, maybe the chronic, inevitable barrage of problems won't see me?It's as if I've been so violated by bureaucratic policy, I'm afraid to topple my delicate, vulnerable situation. I'm paralyzed with fear. At least the police haven't paid me a visit (the same can't be said for everyone in the program).

When convenient, I've gotten around to studying Turkish, which I employ in the classroom to get a rise out of my students. I hate class if it's boring, so I employ broken Turkish to maintain their attention. They LOVE it. And I swear, if I were to ask for anything in Turkish, I'm 75% more likely to receive it. Not because they don't understand my English, but because they can identify with abandoning their linguistic comfort zones. They appreciate my efforts just as I appreciate theirs.

This weekend I celebrated Thanksgiving with some Fulbrighters in Balikesir (literally 'Fish City'). I realized, too, just how much I have to be thankful for. In the absence of family and close friends, I realize just how important they are and how much I truly love them. "For that which you love most in (friends and family) may be clearer in (their) absence, as the mountains to the climber is clearer from the plain," to quote Khalil Gibrain. I am especially thankful for my father's health. Thank God for him - the rock of my life.

The event was good. Good food, good people, and hearty adventures. As for this weekend? I'm planning on visiting Duzce - a town north of Bilecik near the Black Sea coast. Exploring new places is an important part of my life. I feel a sense of ease in the chaos. That's love.

I hope you are well well back in the States! Stay in touch, ya'll.

View off of Prince's Island

The Good, the Bad, and the Mundane..

I got back to Bilecik before the beginning of this week, began the work week, and BLAM, was assaulted by an overwhelming mix of stubborn Turkish bureaucracy, language barrier anxiety, nostalgia, and uneasiness. Being abroad is special - truly special, however I felt myself losing sight of its magic, its appeal in a more dramatic way than expected. A few meditations later, I've pulled it together but that was a scary few days. It's required a step back, wide-lens review of my purpose, my goals, and my responsibilities. But everything happens for a reason, right? More of a coping mechanism than a life philosophy, I'd say, but the intention is good.

But, as promised, a few words on Prince's Island: A spectacular destination off the Bosphorous, about 45 mins by boat from Istanbul. My friends and I spent an entire day there, which included the boat ride in, followed by a seafood lunch, a bike ride around the island (the views were spectacular), and a couple drinks followed by nargile with a smaller group of comrades. I couldn't have asked for a better day and Prince's Island, characterized by an interesting assortment of mostly European architecture, and cliff-side views, is a favorite place of mine. It's a place I will return to, time and time again, well into my future to soak in the sun and to remind myself of what life is all about.

Tomorrow I sojourn to Balikesehir for an authentic American Thanksgiving meal. That was an optimistic last sentence, but we'll do our very best to find a turkey in Turkey for TurkeyDay. My focus for tomorrow's feast? The salad. Inshallah I find the ripest tomatoes this side of the Tigris, and the most luscious lettuce this side of Lebanon. Inshallah. Inshallah.

On a side note, I'm sitting in a cafe, in a somewhat secluded corner, avoiding the inquiring stares from students of mine who, I'm sure, find me wayyy more interesting than I actually am. A few students even gave thanks for me during the Thanksgiving lesson today. I'm comfortable being shrouded in a veil of secrecy, and I haven't awarded the students enough information to reveal my true nature. A few of them think I'm a spy, and that's awesome as far as I'm concerned.

I have much to be thankful for this holiday: a healthy Mom and Dad, the opportunity for self-reflection and world travel, exposure to others perspectives and beliefs, and some truly special friends.

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll

The Aya Sofia

A Clustercuss of Culture

I spent the last week in Istanbul with Fulbright friends, mostly from Turkey, but also from such far-reaching places as Oman and Dubai for the Bayram holiday. My stay in Istanbul, unlike last time, was substantial and yet I still feel I'm only peeling back the preliminary layers of its history, its mysteries, and its vibrant and seemingly amorphous culture. Its culture alludes and confuses me like the swarming tides of people saturating Istiklal Caddesi. In one store, you'll saunter through rows of pricey apparel, victim to the blare of sexually-explicit pop music before stumbling upon a smiling cashier in a veil. You'll hop to the adjacent store, and notice a tatted-up hipster perusing religious manuals and ancient text. It's intellectually maddening. It's alluring. It's fascinating.

What's more is the breath-taking display of architecture, reminiscent of more magical times (at least from our perspective) and the constant transfer of powers praying to make Constantinople or Istanbul an archetypal symbol of their grandeur. I was lucky to enter the Aya Sofya this time around. For those who are unaware, the Aya Sofya was originally a Greek Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a Roman Catholic cathedral, and then, in 1453, it was converted to a mosque. It wasn't until 1934 that the cathedral was secularized and turned into a museum. Through it all, however, original mosaics of Jesus and various prophets remained. The mix of Christian and Islamic art, architecture, and religious artifact is an explicit display of the layers of Istanbul's history, and also, in an ironic sense, a reminder of the interwoven nature of the great religions and perhaps a visual representation of peaceful coexistence. I could have spent hours there.

Besides that, the highlight of my week was simply spending time with good people. More to come on my trip to Istanbul. I'm dying to say a few words about Prince's Island.

Miss you all.

If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is

illumination of heart. - Rumi

Home for Dad's Surgery

Hi All:

I've spent the last week back in the States, tending to Craig after his major operation intended to reconstruct his abdomen after a series of invasive procedures. While this doesn't have much to do with my experience abroad, it's provided me a peek back into US culture from an alternative vantage point. Thrust back into the mayhem of US hyper-reality, I am. Everything seems so fast-paced, excessive, impersonal. But at the same time, it's nice to be home, even if for only a few moments.

Dad's surgery went well, and thank God for that. I don't want to detail the significance of the operation, but it saved his life. He's looking good right now, with a fair amount of color in his face and a cool ginger ale on the bedside table. He stood up today and went for a brief walk around the hallway, IV bag in tow. Overheard the nurses talking about mango-salsa and grilled salmon, and yelled at 'em for talking about food (he hasn't eaten solid food for a few days now). With his new six-pack abs and sympathetic countenance, he's scoring major points with the nurses.

I was very fortunate to have been able to come home for this. Dad is relieved, and that's all I can ask for. He's excited to return the favor and visit Turkey sometime in the Spring, when the weather is warmer and he's entirely healed. I can't wait. Now I have to work on getting Mom to visit too.

I head back to Istanbul for Bayram - a delicious nine-day holiday that's sure to be a good time. Some fellow Fulbrighters from the south of Turkey are making the excursion northward, so it will be wonderful seeing them for the week. I'd like to say something like, "Istanbul isn't ready for us," but it's survived countless invasions and I can't pretend to be any more imperial than the Romans.

Wishing you all the best.